Delhi, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Delhi, Louisiana
|
|
|---|---|
|
City
|
|
| Town of Delhi | |
Delhi City Hall
|
|
Location of Delhi in Richland Parish, Louisiana.
|
|
.svg)
Location of Louisiana in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Richland |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.94 sq mi (7.62 km2) |
| • Land | 2.87 sq mi (7.44 km2) |
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2) |
| Elevation | 89 ft (27 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 2,622 |
| • Density | 912.95/sq mi (352.55/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 318 |
| FIPS code | 22-20190 |
_IMG_7439.JPG)
Delhi, originally called Deerfield, is a town in Richland Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 2,919.
History
During the American Civil War Delhi and Monroe, the seat of Ouachita Parish, were overcrowded with unwelcome refugees from rural areas to the east when the forces of General U.S. Grant moved into northeastern Louisiana. Grant spent the winter of 1862-1863 at Winter Quarters south of Newellton in Tensas Parish in preparation for the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, which was not completed until July 4, 1863. Historian John D. Winters reported "strong Union sympathy" in both Delhi and Monroe.
In the 1940s, Delhi was the center of a large natural gas boom, and several functioning gas fields still surround the town.
From 1968-1969, Delhi Fire Department was home to the now defunct Louisiana State Police - Troop O. Abandoned after only thirteen months in 1969, services hence reverted to Troop F in Monroe.
On February 21, 1971, Louisiana's only recorded F5 tornado struck outside of Delhi. It took forty-six lives and was the deadliest F5 tornado to hit the United States since the Jackson, Mississippi, Candlestick Park Tornado in 1966 and the earliest confirmed F5 tornado during a year.
Delhi has a drug store, the E.W. Thomsom Drug Company, which has operated continuously in the same downtown location since 1873. The company has been owned for four generations by the McEacharn family, who purchased it from the Thomsons in the early 1920s. Pharmacist Wilfred Bruce McEacharn (born 1956) is the current owner. Hand-crafted milk shakes and old-fashioned fountain Coca-Colas are still available. Popular menu items include cheeseburgers and plates of tuna and chicken salad. His wife, Shari, operates a gift shop within the drug store. The Thomson Company remains a mainstay of Delhi for all generations of patrons.
Geography
Delhi is located at 32°27′21″N 91°29′36″W / 32.45583°N 91.49333°W (32.455948, -91.493345). The town lies at the confluence of US Highway 80 and Louisiana Highway 17, and near to Interstate Highway 20.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2), of which, 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (2.33%) of it is water.
The elevation of 89 ft (27 m) spared Delhi from the brunt of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 that destroyed most of the surrounding Mississippi River Delta area.
The Poverty Point Reservoir, which hosts the acclaimed Black Bear Golf Club and the Poverty Point Reservoir State Park, is located just north of Delhi on Louisiana State Highway 17 near Warden. The reservoir project was pushed to fruition by State Senator Francis C. Thompson of Delhi.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 186 | — | |
| 1880 | 315 | 69.4% | |
| 1890 | 620 | 96.8% | |
| 1900 | 507 | −18.2% | |
| 1910 | 685 | 35.1% | |
| 1920 | 980 | 43.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,043 | 6.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,192 | 14.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,861 | 56.1% | |
| 1960 | 2,514 | 35.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,887 | 14.8% | |
| 1980 | 3,290 | 14.0% | |
| 1990 | 3,169 | −3.7% | |
| 2000 | 3,066 | −3.3% | |
| 2010 | 2,919 | −4.8% | |
| 2020 | 2,622 | −10.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 789 | 30.09% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,727 | 65.87% |
| Native American | 8 | 0.31% |
| Asian | 8 | 0.31% |
| Other/Mixed | 44 | 1.68% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 46 | 1.75% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,622 people, 1,082 households, and 641 families residing in the town.
Education
Public schools in Richland Parish are operated by the Richland Parish School Board. Three campuses serve the town of Delhi - Delhi Elementary School (Grades PK-4), Delhi Middle School (Grades 5-8), Delhi High School (Grades 9-12)..
Delhi Charter School (DCS) (K-12) is an area charter school.
Notable people
- Earl Holliman, Golden Globe award-winning film and television actor known for movies such as The Sons of Katie Elder, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Giant and TV series Police Woman
- Arlene Howell, Miss Louisiana USA 1958, Miss USA 1958 and television actress
- Bnois King, jazz and blues musician, was born in Delhi
- Bob Love, basketball player, went to high school in Delhi
- Charles A. Marvin, judge of the Louisiana Court of Appeal for the Second Circuit from 1975 to 1999; worked as news editor at Delhi Dispatch c. 1950
- Tim McGraw, country singer originally from Start
- Andrew "Blueblood" McMahon, Chicago blues bass guitarist, singer and songwriter
- Pat "Gravy" Patterson, longtime baseball coach at Louisiana Tech University
- Steve Pylant, former sheriff of Franklin Parish and Republican departing member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, resides in Franklin Parish near Delhi
- Johnny Robinson, 6 Time NFL All Pro, 2020 NFL Hall of Fame Inductee, 1970 Super Bowl Champion with the Kansas City Kansas City Chiefs
- Charles and Sam Wyly, businessmen who endowed Wyly Tower of Learning at Louisiana Tech
See also
In Spanish: Delhi (Luisiana) para niños
